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IndiGo calls mass flight cancellations ‘unforeseeable confluence’ as DGCA reviews airline’s response
After apologising for nationwide disruptions, IndiGo cites technical glitches, weather issues and new crew rostering rules as contributing factors, while DGCA prepares to summon top executives in its ongoing probe.
IndiGo Calls Mass Flight Cancellations ‘Unforeseeable Confluence’ as DGCA Reviews Airline’s Response
Just hours after IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and COO Isidre Porqueras replied to a show-cause notice from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the regulator released a statement summarizing the airline’s account of what led to the large-scale flight cancellations.
According to the DGCA, IndiGo expressed that it was “profusely apologetic” for the large-scale disruptions and “deeply regretted” the inconvenience caused to passengers. The airline said the cancellations resulted from a “compounding effect of multiple factors” that came together in what it described as an “unfortunate and unforeseeable confluence.”
IndiGo added that, given the size and complexity of its network, it was “realistically not possible to pinpoint the exact cause” of the operational breakdown. Instead, the airline identified several contributing issues: minor technical glitches, winter schedule-related adjustments, adverse weather, increased congestion across the aviation ecosystem, and challenges related to implementing Phase II of the updated Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) crew-rostering rules.
The budget carrier also told the DGCA that the regulator’s own manual provides a 15-day window to respond to show-cause notices. It said it would need additional time to complete a thorough Root Cause Analysis (RCA), which it committed to submitting once finished.
Possible summons for IndiGo leadership
The airline’s response came amid reports that the DGCA, according to PTI, was likely to summon CEO Elbers and COO Porqueras on Wednesday as part of its ongoing probe into the cancellations that left thousands of passengers stranded at airports nationwide.
The DGCA’s four-member inquiry panel, formed on 5 December, includes Joint DG Sanjay Brahamane, Deputy Director General Amit Gupta, senior Flight Operations Inspector Kapil Manglik, and Flight Operations Inspector Lokesh Rampal. The panel is examining the causes of the disruptions and will determine accountability for planning failures.
What IndiGo said previously
Earlier, IndiGo had issued a public apology as the operational chaos worsened. In an internal memo, CEO Elbers acknowledged that the airline had fallen short of its commitment to providing a seamless flying experience.
The carrier has warned that irregularities will persist in the short term but has assured both passengers and the DGCA that operations will be fully stabilised by 10 February 2026. In the meantime, IndiGo says it is working to restore “100% operational integrity” and is processing refunds for flights cancelled between 3 and 15 December.
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